Joyful Nights

In a few hours, I'm beginning another new and exciting part of ministry- Night of Joy. If you want to find out about the event in particular, here's the website.

But let me tell you about my/our schedule. :) And this is really just to make all of you oooo and aaaaaah at my stamina. Hahaha.

Tomorrow at 3am, I'm waking up. Yes, 3am. (I've been gradually ruining my sleep schedule this week so that I'm pretty tired and will be going to bed soon, so I can wake up rested-ish around 3.)

At 4am I'm heading out to church. I have to stop at Walgreens to grab a few things and then it's on to the church. Around 4:45 I will get there and around 5am, the bus arrives. I check in with the bus driver, go over the itinerary and details again and then the kids start arriving. With copies of permission slips being made, collecting the rest of the money, getting kids on the bus, meeting with my chaperones and all the details of getting this many people on a charter bus, I'll be pretty busy. The hope is to leave as close to 6am as possible so if we get on the road by 630 I'll be leaping down the aisles with joy.

We'll all stop for lunch at some typical fast-food chain near Orlando and then around noon (we hope) we'll arrive at the Magic Kingdom!

At that point, the youth get split into groups and chaperones go with younger groups. They get to run around the park for most of the afternoon, checking in with me every few hours.

At 4 we reconvening and boarding a shuttle bus to Hollywood Studios for the actual Night of Joy event. There, the youth get to see tons of different bands at different times, all over the park. All Christian groups, some just starting out and some that are well established and have mass followings (me included for some!)

The check-ins continue throughout the night and at 1am we are meeting up and hopefully getting onto the bus by 2am. At 2 we start the drive home. We'll get back to church sometime around 6am I think.

Then, I get to wait around a few hours and then teach a class. Yes! I'm teaching a class to kids after not having slept in 30.5 hours! I should be done around 1230 and then going home.

So that's my weekend. It will, I am sure, be amazing and fun. It will also be exhausting and stressful. I have to be prepared for the good and the bad, which I hope I am.

Please, pray for all of us this weekend. For safety, for fun, for cooler heads to prevail, for good weather, for the joys of friendship and music and community.

I hope all of you have fun and less hectic weekends. May God bless you also!

PS If you live in Florida, check Night of Joy out for next year! It's an amazing deal! :)

Cheers,
Em

Quick Update

To end August...


I'm finishing up what has been a relatively fun and exciting pre-season game for the Chargers. I'm happy with the way my team looks so far, especially the deeper we go into our roster.

Today I helped lead a workshop for teachers/leaders/volunteers at work. It went very well, though I am quite tired. I was out the door at 645 this morning. And I'll do it again tomorrow. Tomorrow is Rally Day and I still have a small amount of work to do (just making up some cards for a game, really). But I want to make sure everything is set up and ready to go by the time I head over for the 9am worship service. I'm also very, very glad that I have the ability to go to either service now! That will be very convenient for me.

Youth group tomorrow afternoon will also be our last until we relaunch our new youth group - Surge. I'm very excited about the changes taking place there... more to come on that.

I had the blessing to go see the Mets play all three games when they were in town this last week. We won the final game of the series. It was a lot of fun to go to the games and I plan on it again in September when they are back again.

I have had a rather exhausting week with my games, a session meeting on Monday night, a YLC meeting on Thursday and the early morning today. I am looking forward to Monday, but more importantly to Thursday on my day off. :) Luckily, I truly love my job so it's okay. Exhausting right now, but ok.

As soon as the game is over (and it will be over soon barring unforseen circumstances, game clock says :34) I'm heading to bed, so I'm off.

Have a wonderful week! God bless.

Cheers,

Em

End of Summer Update

Hello All!

Long time, no blog!
I apologize for the delay, but there was a situation regarding jobs and things that meant I shouldn't blog for a while until it ironed out. It now has, and I'm back!

Let me give you some info. I'm living with L and enjoying it - she's a great roommate! My job is going very well so far. The youth are amazing! It's a very busy few weeks for me. This weekend, we have two big events - a talent show for our youth and then an open house for anyone wanting information or with questions about the youth ministry program at the church. It will be a long, long day on Sunday. And I have to work Saturday also. Then Monday is session and the 30th is Rally Day! We are changing our sunday schedule and with the start of the school year that means more kids in classes, new teachers, new curriculum and lots of new situations.

In September, the youth and I are hopping on a charter bus and driving to Disney for Night of Joy. That's a massive Christian music festival with bands and activities, all in Disney World so you can ride rides and have fun at the same time. It will be amazing, I'm sure. :)

This next week, the Mets are coming to town to play the Marlins! So I'm going to all three games to root on my team! Bad as we are, I still love 'em!

I was up in Orlando a few days ago, actually. My good friend Chris was visiting his parents up there and I hadn't seen him in a year, so I drove up to visit. It was so nice to see him again!

Another change in friendships - my friend Beuford moved to Rome a few days ago. He was living with Laura and I for a short time before he left. He'll be back in January. It's too bad he's gone, but he's getting a great education at UM's architecture studio there. (He's a grad student at UM).

Mattie, my wonderful, wonderful, bestie (best friend) also came to visit me this summer. It was so WONDERFUL to have her here! I miss her tons but was glad we got to see each other even for a few days. She starts her second year of Med school in a few days - so prayers for her!

Also - some interesting stuff in my family these last few days - if you could keep us all in your prayers, I would very much appreciate it.

That's all for now - I'm enjoying the first football game of the season that I've been able to watch so far. Back to the game!

Oh, and by the way- GO CHARGERS!

Cheers!

Em

And so it begins...

Later tonight my parents will arrive at my aunt and uncle's home. They're bringing Aslan with them! I'm so excited. I cannot even tell you how excited I am!

I'm going to F&S's (Uncle is F, Aunt is S) to meet them and bring Aslan back to my place. He'll stay here until I move in to the new condo!

That happens in only 5 days though. Sunday I move in permanently!

Tomorrow, my parents and I are visiting the new place of employment so they can meet some people as well as so I can sign my paperwork. Then we're going hunting for a bedset. When that is taken care of, we'll buy paint and then start painting my room! Then when that's all done - the real moving happens. Whee!

My parents leave Saturday morning. It is going to be a busy busy week!
Sunday I think I'm going to spend some time at Laura's church - they're having a big picnic and celebration going on in the afternoon - should be fun. :) I hope I get all the official move-in type stuff finished by then!

My first day of work in the new job is Monday. I'm getting so excited for it! I can't wait to start.

So that's what's new for now!

Cheers,
Em

Big changes, new opportunities and great blessings

These last few weeks have been one of enormous change for me. Much of it has been good.

Some of the bad? One of my housemates left to be a camp counselor for the summer. Another one of my housemates had some very trying time with her work that did not come out the way we had hoped, but we are all trying to make the best of it and support her in many ways. Another is looking for a new working situation. The others are having their own fair share of problems, and for a while, the mood in the house was rather low.

But bit by bit the mood improved as people adjusted and things have returned to the old way and feel. And then, out of pretty much no where, big changes came.

The story to my big changes is long. So if you want to read the story, you can go here.

If you don't want to read the story and simply want the result, read on. The idea here is that the story, while long, is an amazing example of how God has been working in me for a long time - and all of the wonderful blessings I have encountered. It also gives detail to the big changes. Don't get me wrong - it's entertaining and has important stuff! But if you just want the gist - keep going.

In short, here is what is going on:

Recently I was offered (and accepted) a new job position. As of June 1st, I will be the Director of Youth Ministries at Central Presbyterian Church in Miami, FL. I am being paid well, receiving benefits and education funding to allow me to return to school.

I am moving in with a dear friend just six blocks north and one block east of where I am now. My little one, my cat, will be coming to live with us!

I'll give you all address and other changes when the time is right. I'm leaving the DOOR program as of June 1st and starting life out on my own. Exciting times.

Thank you all for your prayers and support this past year. It was a trying, challenging and yet wonderful and beautiful experience in so many ways and I would never trade this year for anything. I've loved it!

Now, don't worry. The blogging will continue. As will my involvement in DOOR (just not on the strictest level).

Blessings to all of you - may God give you the things you need on GOD's time - for God knows best. :)

Cheers,

Emmie

What was April?

April. The fourth month. A month of springtime, renewal, growth and green.

The first thing I did in April was fly to my parents' home in North Carolina. I spent some time there, enjoying my parents and of course the company of my dear cats, Ash and Aslan. It was wonderful having the little furry creatures to cuddle and play with. I realize now just now much I miss my Aslan. It's sad being here without him. :)

While in North Carolina, we also made a spectacular purchase and I was privileged enough to get a new car! (New to me, really.) I got a beautiful, well kept 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe. I really love it, and each day I'm getting more and more comfortable and happy with it. I had a tough choice to make between this car and another and at first I was really torn but now I can't see it any other way. I've named her Clara and the fun has already begun!

I got back on a Tuesday, and I plunged head first into a heavy workload seeing as it was holy week and I had a lot going on that weekend! We had another prayer event going on at church that weekend. Friday morning, Drive played at Miami Rescue Mission for their annual Easter breakfast. It's always an experience playing for a massive crowd of homeless people, but it's always amazing and a lot of fun. Saturday was another long day (though thankfully no music school!) and our service that night involved me doing a monologue, based on a girl who witnessed Christ's death. I heard some wonderful comments - including one from my boss who said that "God used you" - and from him, that was amazing. That night we had pizza and soda and watched a movie centered on sacrificing for others, and then spent some time praying through the night. I stayed over at church that night, obviously, and was up and out the door at 430am, as we took the musical equipment and things over to Bayside Marketplace and we set up on the stage. Every year, our church and our host church have a sunrise service at the marketplace. I got some amazing photos of the event as the sun came up behind the band and worship leaders. It was a great way to celebrate the rising of our Lord.

The next week was a fairly ordinary work week, though I did have some meetings to begin the implementation of work on a summer camp that is in the works. I also got to go over to my aunt and uncle's again to visit - my cousin's wife's birthday had just passed and we were celebrating. It was pretty fun and we enjoyed some baseball while we were there.

This last week from Sunday through Tuesday I participated in our Spring Retreat down in the Florida Keys. It was a lot of fun and completely exhausting, though also very renewing as well. I learned some amazing things about my housemates and grew closer to them as well.

Lastly, I did my taxes. :)

On a personal note, I've always felt that God has called me in many ways to be a counsellor - maybe not by profession or in any such official way, but I feel that one of my many gifts is to truly listen and offer advice to others. When I was in high school I was on a retreat and someone asked me for advice about something very deep, very troubling and very big in her life. I remember talking to this person - but I don't remember what I said, or what happened at all. I do remember thinking to myself that something was speaking instead of me, through me, in me, and that I was simply the vessel. It was very odd and I was slightly alarmed, and yet I felt completely natural and at ease at the same time. The girl listened, turned her life around, made big changes, and now is headed on a great path filled with God.

Now, this may seem awfully strange - indeed it is for me also. But from that point on, I have felt that God has been using me to tell people what they need to hear. Maybe it's because people know that I will tell them what they need to hear regardless of whether they want to hear it or not. Maybe it's because I'm open myself, so people feel they can trust me. Or maybe it's just because God wants me too. I haven't had such a crazy experience as that first one in whole again, but every now and then when I'm listening and talking to someone, I feel a little push inside me. And regardless of whether I feel that even or not, I often wonder how I come up with such good advice! It's funny - things will occur to me to say to someone that could really help me in my own life and I'll think, "Wow, that IS good advice!" I truly believe that God has asked me to do this, at least for now. And because of that, I'm happy to help - because I'm doing what God wants me to do.

I've been finding myself giving a lot of advice lately, and listening to a lot of problems. But I'm happy to do it. :)

I hope May finds all of you blessed and full of the renewal that spring represents. Forget not what our Lord and Saviour has done for us! And yes, He is Risen, Indeed!

Checking In, Checking Out and Checking Up on Cars

Today is Tuesday and today I moved all my stuff back into my house after two weeks of house sitting bliss. After having a fair amount of time to be alone and reflect, I think I'm ready to go back to the madness of six-person living. Now, I will miss not having to share a bathroom with three other girls, not having to share a kitchen with five other people and not having to sit in my un-air conditioned room... but I will enjoy returning to community, people I love, and knowledge that if I need something, somebody will be there for me. The break was nice though. Very nice. :)

But I won't get to enjoy this warm fuzzy feeling of being with these people again for very long. Right now it is around 3pm on Tuesday. At 8am on Thursday, I'm heading home. As referenced in the previous post, I'm heading to visit my parents in North Carolina. It has now been determined that I am buying a new car (new to me, at least) as my little bug Lucinda was sold. She got picked up on Saturday and is off having fun with her new owner (or so I hope, but we're gonna keep it that way, ok?). So now I'm picking out a new vehicle to name and call my own. What to get, what to get? Well I've got my requirements, my preferences and my wishful thinkings... and my budget. We'll just have to see what the best combo of all of those things is.

I've decided not to tell anyone down here what car I am buying.. I'm going to wait and surprise them all by just showing up in it. It's going to be fun.

As mentioned before, I am also excited about seeing my parents, my cats and some adult friends of mine - Byron and Katherine. They are both local pastors that I know and love. Should be fun!

Also, I'm going to be facing a rather long drive home from NC so Tuesday or Wednesday I may be calling people to keep me entertained. Beware!

Well, all this unpacking is beckoning me. Better go.

Cheers,

Em